Relationship between newborn mid-upper-arm circumference and birth weight

Abstract

Background Recording an accurate birth weight by primary health care workers has been a problem in rural areas, leading to a search for an alternative, inexpensive, age independent and noninvasive method to predict neonatal well being. Mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) might be an alternative anthropometric measurement useful to estimate the state of nutrition. Objective To evaluate the relationship between MUAC and birth weight in low birth weight (LBW) and normal birth weight (NBW) infants. Methods We measured birth weight and MUAC of newborn babies of various gestational ages at Siti Fatimah Maternity and Children's Hospital and Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo General Hospital, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Correlation tests and diagnostic accuracy using different cut-off points were performed Results There were 892 live birth newborns (117 LBW and 775 NBW) included in the study. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative value for MUACs of< 10.3 em were 94.9 %, 99.9%, 99.1%, and 99.2%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative value for MUAC < 10.4 em were 99.1 %, 99.6%, 97.5%, and 99.9%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative value for MUAC < 10.5 em were 100%,99.4%, 95.9%, and 100%, respectively. Conclusion There is a strong correlation between MUAC and birth weight. Birth weight can be predicted with the following equation: Birth weight= -1776.383 + (416.95 newborn MUAC value). The optimal cut-off point for the newborn MUAC value for LBW infants is< 10.5 em.

Keywords

• mid-upper-arm circumference
• birth weight